Republicans Get Presidential Candidate Number 17

Former Virginia Gov. Jim Gilmore filed paperwork with the Federal Election Commission Wednesday to run for president, becoming the 17th Republican to enter the race.

The 65-year-old from Richmond, Va. served as governor from 1998 to 2002.

This isn’t Gilmore’s first foray into presidential politics: He briefly ran for the White House during the 2008 cycle, memorably referring to the three frontrunners in that race as “Rudy McRomney” during one debate.

Gilmore has been making appearances at early voting states, but is not nationally known and is not registering in the polls.

His filing comes ahead of next week’s first Republican presidential debate. While Gilmore won’t make the cut for the top tier debate, it’s possible he will meet the qualifications for the televised forum earlier in the day for candidates not in the top 10.

It’s not clear how Gilmore will differentiate himself from the others running. In an interview with the Richmond Times Dispatch earlier this month, the governor suggested he would focus on national security: “I don’t think we’re addressing the threat to the country…I bring to the table experience that others don’t have.”